Skrevet av: Ingrid Pedersen/Anne-Mette Bjøru
Dato: 05.03.2005 21:02
This is May Connie Johansen's (37) debut in Finnmarksløpet, but she is not a real rookie. For many she is known as twice-winner of Finnmarksløpet Rune Johansen's wife, but she stands firmly on her own. She impressed and finished sixth in the Femund 600 three weeks ago. Now she is ready to fight with the guys in Finnmarksløpet's 1000 km.
May Connie has a plan. Together with her handler Steinar Erikasen she has made an outline of how she is going to race. Not surprisingly - she will probably follow her husband's winning-strategy from two years ago. This year her husband is staying at home to take care of the children and the farm. Rune has no problem with that. Quite on the contrary, Rune has faith in his wife.
- I believe she is going to race very well. She has good dogs and is a good musher. Even though she has never raced such a long race before, I think it will go very well, her husband says.
Most rookies start with the 500 km, but not May Connie. She does not think she is too brave making the 1000 km her debut.
- I have done the Femundløp, which is 600 km long, several times. Therefore it was natural to start with the 1000 km. The 1000 km race is not longer than 10 stages of training, she says.
There is no doubt that May Connie is one of the favourites. The expert commentator, Trond Øslien, also says that the guys will get tough competition from May Connie.
- She has a very good team and did really well in this years' Femundløp. It will not be a great surprise if May Connie finishes top-five, he says.
May Connie says that her dogs are good enough to compete with the guys. The end-result will depend on her abilities as a musher. She has strengthened her team after the Femundløp.
- One of my best dogs was not in the Femundløp, but it is racing in Finnmarksløpet. I have a strong team with a good mix of old and young dogs. The team has done about 5500 km of training and will do well whatever weather conditions. Besides, it suits me perfectly that we've gotten lots of snow lately. It makes it easier for me to use the dogs in the best way possible. How well the race ends depends only on myself, and I am eager to give the guys tough competition, says the mother-of-five from Storgjerdet in Alta.